Hontiveros has tips for checking kids’ online activities amid ‘Momo Challenge’

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Friday shared tips on how to monitor children’s behavior and activities online amid reports about the “Momo Challenge” that is urging young players to harm or even kill themselves.

Here are the following tips for parents, according to Hontiveros:

1. Allot quality time to talk to children to familiarize themselves with their children’s social media activities as well as their issues and concerns online.

2. Set up parental controls for the different online devices at home to regulate what children can watch and monitor their activities.

3. Check first the validity of “viral scare stories” before sharing with others so as not to help in promoting online hoaxes.

Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender equality, urged parents to constantly talk to their children to avoid harm posed by some internet activities.

“May this serve as an urgent reminder to us parents to dutifully supervise our children’s online activities and ensure that they are aware of the dangers of not being discriminating in what they view or read online. We do this as we continue to let them enjoy the internet as a tool for learning and entertainment. The key is open communication and trust,” Hontiveros said in a statement.

The senator then asked the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to confirm the authenticity of the reports about the online challenge.

On Thursday, Philippine National Police Director General Oscar Albayalde tasked the Anti-Cybercrime Group to probe the incidents of the online challenge. /ee

READ: Parents urged to keep kids off deadly Momo challenge, Blue Whale challenge